


When Two Tides Meet

by skanacorshi



Series: Of Waves and Currents [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A Little Bit of Humor, Almost Drowning, Beaches and Rock Pools, Fluff, Freediver Sakusa Kiyoomi, Getting Together, Idiots to friends to lovers, M/M, Minor Injuries, Misunderstandings, Photographer Sakusa Kiyoomi, Slow Burn, Surfer Miya Atsumu, Surfer and Freediver/Photographer au, a lot of sea creature mentions/references, characters might be OOC
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26423530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skanacorshi/pseuds/skanacorshi
Summary: Kiyoomi is a photographer and free diver who loves hanging out by the reefs and rock pools. He tends to stray away from the crowds on the beach, especially when the surfers start doing stunts. However, he can't help but let his eyes stray towards one surfer that seems to attract a big crowd everywhere he surfs.Atsumu is a surfer who loves the thrill of rough waves and difficult stunts. He doesn't see the reason to walk towards the other side of the beach towards the rock pools. But one walk along the beach leads to the discovery of what he thinks is an untouchable angel.One evening, they meet.
Relationships: Kita Shinsuke/Ojiro Aran, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Miya Atsumu/Sakusa Kiyoomi, Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou
Series: Of Waves and Currents [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1920661
Comments: 52
Kudos: 159





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the first ever fic I've written so the purpose of this story is purely because I enjoy the idea and I want to write about it. Apologies in advance for any writing errors and mistakes or if you think the formatting and the story telling is a bit lacking!
> 
> I like to thank the sass server for hyping me up even though I've never written anything for myself so I hope y'all will like this... Thanks to Ran for editing some parts of the story too.
> 
> I love sea creatures so there will be LOTS of references, appearances, and mentions on them, so feel free to search them up if you feel like you need to know what they are.
> 
> That's all I want to say here. Happy reading!

A blenny swims out of its hiding place under a rock, surveying the sky above for predatory seabirds before revealing itself under the sun. It weaves through weeds and anemone, darts around the cushion star and sits atop a shell. It bathes in the warmth of the sunlight that breaks through the surface of the water-

_Click!_

A camera shutter. The blenny darts towards the closest crevice between two rocks. The cameraman pays no mind to the blenny’s movements and instead looks at the photograph of the blenny. The sunlight hits it’s body, making it glow underwater. The shell it sat on makes the blenny look like it is overlooking the area, the seaweed frames the blenny to stick out among the tiny rocks and pieces of dead coral washed up during high tide. He smiles, satisfied. This picture can be added into his portfolio… Maybe he can make prints out of them and sell them alongside his cousin’s catches in the fish market.

As he exits the preview of his picture and starts to find a new subject for his camera, his phone rings. It’s his cousin. He decides that finding a new photo subject can wait and picks up the call. “Yo, Kiyoomi! When you’re done finding fish to torture with your camera, can you come back home and help me sort out the fish for tomorrow’s sale?” 

“...Sure but I’m using the rubber gloves. You can handle them with your bare hands anyway.” He imagines the slightly slimy texture of the dead fish and grimaces in disgust. He remembers the chores he planned on doing today. “By the way, you’re cooking today, Motoya. I’ll take care of our gear.”

“Fine… But we are having mackerel for dinner then. It is mackerel season right now… Alright, I have to go back to fishing now. The fish won’t wait for me to catch them. Bye-bye favorite cousin~!”

Before Kiyoomi can retort, the call ends. He sighs, tucks his phone back into his favorite waterproof bag and picks his camera up to find more sea creatures in the rock pools. He walked towards the beach, where he knows a deeper rock pool is located. He might find that cute tiny octopus again like he did around a week ago. It’s an interesting animal to try to take good pictures of, especially when it tends to shy away from his camera. He accepts this octopus’s challenge. He _will_ take a satisfying picture that is worthy of his portfolio, whether it would take months or not.

He stops by the rock pool and peers into the water. He didn’t bring his snorkel with him so he just has to trust his eyes peering into the refracted water from the surface. The octopus is nowhere to be found, but he sees a velvet swimming crab in between two anemones searching the sand for food, unaware of its surroundings.

_Perfect for a picture._

He lowers his camera on the unsuspecting crab slowly, as to decrease the ripples made as it gets submerged in the water. He sets up the angle, waits for the crab to face up, and-

The shouting and cheering of a huge crowd of people startled him, the camera also jostling in his surprise. The crab rushes into shelter behind a rock. All the fish in the tidepool starts to retreat into the cover of the rocks as Kiyoomi pulls his camera out of the water and leans against the largest rock close to the rock pool, away from the sight of anyone in the crowd. _So much for a picture…_

Kiyoomi’s disappointment quickly turned into panic and irritation. The rock pools are in the far end of the beach, where little to no people visit. The only person who frequents this area is Iizuna, a lifeguard and his friend. There shouldn’t be a crowd on this side of the beach. Crowds are usually located far off around the recreational side of the beach which is a few minutes away at best, so why is there a crowd here? Did something happen that made them relocate to this side of the beach? Is this a one-time thing? Will he have to walk through a crowd everyday to reach the rock pools? Will people start going to the rock pools and ruin his day?

He didn’t have to think long, as he saw a glimpse of a surfboard peeking through the waves, a person shouting in excitement over completing a stunt. _Oh… It's just surfers._

It's been established that surfers attract crowds here, especially those who are keen on showing off. Kiyoomi never had an interest in surfing. It's a sport above water. There aren’t any sea creatures to find and ecosystems to observe. He doesn’t see the fun of it. However, he admits that it is nice to see surfers pull off amazing stunts, adjusting to the waves to gain control over it.

He peers beyond his hiding place and watches the lone surfer riding on a big wave and spurring the crowd to cheer louder. From his spot, only the surfer’s silhouette and part of his surfboard could be seen. The surfer is still a ways off from the rock pools. Yet, Kiyoomi can’t help but stare at the silhouette… because there is only one person with a body like that and a surfboard with that horrible combination of black and yellow.

It's _him._

The hot blonde surfer that tends to attract a big crowd everywhere he surfs. Also known as the bane of Kiyoomi's existence.

\--------------------

Kiyoomi had the chance of watching him and who looked to be his brother surfing one evening a few months back on his walk back to his cottage. He didn’t know why (and still doesn’t know why), but Kiyoomi felt all his attention focusing on him. He saw the surfer's intense focus on attempting to get a stunt right, practicing it to perfection. The sunlight framed his face as he straightened himself from leaning to balance on the board, blonde hair glowing. His blindingly wide smile as he manages to complete a particular stunt could’ve struck Kiyoomi dead right then and there.

Kiyoomi wasn’t one to do portrait photography, opting to stay within his comfort zone of wildlife and landscape photography. However, as he watched the surfer push his brother off of his board and start laughing an obnoxious laugh that could be described as endearing, Kiyoomi can’t help but raise his camera.

_Click!_

His camera shutter goes off, solidifying an image in his camera roll. It's the image of the surfer, sunlight hitting just the right angles. He is caught mid-laugh, eyes full of mirth and arms around his stomach. It’s not bad, but the quality isn’t the best. Kiyoomi was tempted to walk closer to take another picture, but his fear of getting caught got the best of him. He doesn’t delete the picture, reminding himself to import the picture into his laptop at home. He put his camera away and looked up at the two surfers. They had their backs turned on him. He took this chance to walk away, the thought of glowing blond hair in the setting sun coming back to him as he continued his journey home.

The same thought never leaves. It stays stuck in his head even after he woke up the next day. He imported the picture into his laptop, staring at blonde hair and a face of happiness for maybe a little bit too long. He should try to get the thought of the surfer out of his head, but as he walked back to the beach on his trip to the rock pools, he found himself searching the recreational side of the beach for a head of blonde hair. 

He can’t help it… something about that surfer draws him in. Like a crown of thorns seastar on coral, the picture of him burns in his mind, slowly engulfing him whole. He can’t sleep at night without thinking of him, and even surfboard silhouettes and sunsets stay on his mind when he goes free diving, using that image as a mantra to stay underwater for as long as he is comfortable. 

He, rather reluctantly, slowly accepts the fact that the thought of the surfer would not get out of his head for a while. Maybe he _has_ gotten a crush on that surfer without actually meeting him, like those fairy tale romantic stories Motoya gushes about. He doesn’t want to accept it, but with the thought sticking to his head like a magnet sticking to metal, he admits that he may have at least a tiny crush on this surfer.

\--------------------

The sound of cheering gets closer, bringing Kiyoomi out of his thoughts (damn it!) and into the present. He peeks over the rock again, and sees the surfer surfing closer towards his direction. At this distance, he can see the surfer’s face clearly. He is smiling widely at a large upcoming wave, deciding to surf inside it. 

As he races against the water crashing down on all sides, Kiyoomi can’t help but feel mesmerized by his confident smile and picture perfect form. The surfboard looks like a pedestal, showing off the subject flawlessly. The large wave frames the figure, water reflections bouncing off of it and onto the surfboard. The sunlight pours, landing on the surfer’s blonde hair and face. Kiyoomi is reminded of the photograph of the blenny he took not long ago. He sees the exact same perfect subject for his next picture.

Sakusa Kiyoomi isn’t a portrait photographer by any means. He’d rather focus on nature photography. There is something about nature that calms him. He feels like he could catch the perfect moment better than those moments with people. People, with picture perfect emotions on their face. People, who tend to be quite wary around him, make portrait photography seem like a pain when the subjects don't look _natural_. 

He picks up his camera. This is an exception. The surfer doesn’t see him, his emotions are real and candid. It could be good practice. He doesn’t think about how these are excuses for him to use this chance to take another picture of the blonde. He aims the camera at the surfer. His attention is diverted towards the waves, not noticing the lens pointing at him.

Kiyoomi thinks of glowing blonde hair and the sunset. He thinks of the blenny sitting on the shell. He looks at the majestic surfer through the lens of his camera.

He allows a little smile on his face before his camera shutter goes off.


	2. Chapter 2

The calm waves of the beach during sunrise isn’t a marvelous sight for Atsumu. They don’t pose much as a challenge nor is it enough to make the surfboard sail through the water. They don’t make much sounds except for the crashes on the sand - only enough to lull someone to sleep. In short, they seem completely underwhelming for a surfer.

However, Atsumu does like the sight of the waves at the crack of dawn. For one, the sound of the calming waves ground him, especially during some days. They keep his mind off of any problem that he may be facing, be it anything regarding surfing or when his insecurities get the best of him. He also likes walking along the beach during quiet mornings when the crowd hasn’t formed. Only him, his brother, and his friends that would occasionally join him.

Today, he walks alone. He takes notice that the waves aren’t as calm this morning. This could mean that the waves would be more challenging today. He smiled, excited. He can try out new stunts and impress the crowd with his abilities. The weather also seems clear, which means that he can stay on the beach longer. That’s good. He _did_ plan on staying until dusk today.

This day is also one of those days where his brother wouldn’t stay for long in the evening, deciding to go on a date with his boyfriend to the cafe near the fish market. _How romantic_ … Atsumu’s pathetic single ass can’t relate. He wonders if he will ever have someone important like how important of a person Suna is to Osamu. Sure, he attracts crowds with his surfing - he can pick anyone from the crowd and see where it goes - but he doesn’t think that he will find a connection with them, no matter how long he stays with them.

Crushes are complicated. Relationships are complicated. Right now, he’s content with watching Osamu’s face light up whenever he sees Suna or listening to Kita-san’s stories and advice on relationships, Aran occasionally adding on some more points while hugging Kita-san from behind. Atsumu is convinced that he doesn’t have the time nor the motivation to pursue a relationship, not that he has a crush at the moment.

…

Wait... Maybe he _does_ have a crush… and it’s on _him._

He stops walking, the waves lightly hitting his feet. He looks back on his memory, to cameras and rock pools. He can’t help but think about curly black hair, cute moles, and a soft laugh. He thinks about surfing closer towards that part of the beach, even though the waves aren’t what he’s used to. He thinks about his renewed motivation to try out new stunts and moves.

He looks up at the waves. They’re getting rougher. _Perfect for trying out stunts_. There might be a chance that the waves near the rock pools wouldn’t be as calm, which gives him a good chance to see _him_. Usually, he would stray away from that area. There aren't many people and the waves are usually calmer. However, since his latest discovery, he thinks that he can’t not go there again, calmer waves be damned.

\--------------------

It was around two weeks ago, when the waves were getting too rough to surf and the lifeguards warned people to get out of the water for the time being, It was a bummer, as Atsumu was just getting into the mood for some stunning stunts for the crowd to awe at. It seemed that his displeasure showed on his face, as Osamu punched his shoulder and told him to “look less slappable”. Kita-san told him to go for a walk on the beach - maybe away from the crowd - to clear his head and to take his mind off of surfing for the time being.

Confused where to go for his walk, Kita-san told him to find Iizuna, one of his friends and a lifeguard on the side of the beach - not far from where they were. Atsumu has seen Iizuna before. Sometimes he hangs out around here to make conversation with Kita, Aran, Oomimi, and Akagi by the surf bar. Most times, however, he sees Iizuna watching over the quieter side of the beach, nearer to the rock pools, by his post.

With a little huff, Atsumu begins his walking journey towards Iizuna’s post, planning to turn back once he reaches said post and giving Iizuna some onigiri Osamu and Akagi made sometime before. What he _didn’t_ plan, however, was to stray away in his sulking thoughts and get lost.

When Atsumu came back from his thoughts, he noticed that he was on an entirely unfamiliar side of the beach. Iizuna’s post was nowhere to be seen, and, as he looked around, there was no human in sight. With a slight panic, Atsumu started pacing around the sand, trying to remember where that damn post is located and if he passed it.

He was so deep in his own thoughts that he almost shouts in frustration. However, a sound stopped him from doing anything reckless. It was barely there, but he thought he heard soft laughter from beyond the rocks that looked like it made the beach’s border. Alarms in his head told him to turn back, walk away, and pretend he didn’t hear any sort of sound in the otherwise quiet beach, but Atsumu is a human and curiosity has that tendency to bloom inside him, so he decided to investigate.

He peered over the rock, and wow! So _these_ are the rock pools. There are places flooded with water, and many sharp, steep, and flat areas made up of rock. The waves crashing onto the boulders makes a sort of rough sound, so unlike the calm atmosphere of the beach. It doesn’t seem like a place people would want to go to though…

Wait. This isn’t the time to assess the appearance of the rock pools, as Atsumu was a man on a mission, and he will find that sound of quiet laughter. With his newfound resolve, he searches the rock pools for anything suspicious or out of place and…

Oh. _Oh…._

Atsumu’s eyes landed on who might as well be a literal angel from heaven. Soft black curls slightly framing a handsome face. Two moles on top of his right eyebrow. A soft smile and an equally soft laughter escaped the angel’s lips as he pointed a camera at what looked like a tiny octopus who was attempting to get on top of a rock on the side of one of the pools. And was that a muscular body underneath that wetsuit too? What was he seeing? Is he in the afterlife? Because it wasn’t allowed for any man to look as hot and cute as _this_ man is doing right now. 

Even as he had a tiny crisis over the appearance of the man, he couldn’t help but look on. He thinks that he should start calling this man an angel; distant, almost untouchable, surrounded by pools of water and rough waves lapping on the rocks. He looked at ease; completely detached from any traces of social contact - a mysterious and pristine being among the faces of those unlike him.

He didn’t know how long he stood there, watching the angel attempt to take a picture of the same tiny octopus. But as soon as his thoughts were somehow back in order, he quickly retreated back towards the recreational side of the beach.

As it turned out, Atsumu _did_ completely pass by Iizuna’s post. He quickly gave Iizuna the onigiri, slightly dazed, and began his trek back to the surf bar where he knew his friends were waiting for him. He completely missed the questioning look on Iizuna’s face, putting all his energy into trying and failing to get his mind off of the angel and to actually walk the right direction back towards the bar.

Once he made it back to the bar, the waves were still hazardous. _Time for the waiting game_ , he guessed. As he went to sit on a stool with his friends, he almost missed the questioning looks his friends were giving him. “What’s with that happy face? Found someone special on your walk?” Suna teased him.

His friends laughed lightly, remembering that Atsumu sometimes sulks about how much PDA he is exposed to everyday. Atsumu’s expression immediately changes, face planting on the countertop, sulking. He feels a hand on his back. “It’s true though. Usually, ya reserve that expression for when yer about to surf. To see ya out of the waves with that same smile, I gotta say, it caught us all off guard,” Aran’s voice explains to him.

Squishing his cheek against the countertop, Atsumu thought back to the sight of the man. As the same dazed smile appeared on his face a second time in front of his baffled friends, he didn’t give anymore thought to his next words as he sighs out: “I think I just saw an angel.”

\--------------------

A rough wave that covers Atsumu’s ankles in a mixture of water and sand brings him out of his thoughts. He sighs wistfully, the dazed smile back on his face.

He’s been teased by his friends over his discovery, but he doesn’t mind. He gives them payback by ranting about the black haired angel whenever he spies on him. He also rants about how ethereal the man appears to be every time he sees him, which successfully irritates both Osamu and Suna.

Just thinking of the man right now makes Atsumu feel more excited for the day. Maybe he can get a glimpse of the man while surfing towards the rock pool area. Right now, however, he has to walk back towards the bar and start his shift there. He can practically hear his brother yelling at him to come back and get ready for the day.

The sun rises, and the seagulls chirp. The waves get rough and the footsteps on the sand slowly disappear as Miya Atsumu walks back towards the bar and waves at Gin as soon as he sees him. He can’t wipe the smile off his face as black curly hair and soft laughs cloud his thoughts, hoping he will be able to see him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Initial introductions complete! Yes, they are lovesick dumbos. Yes, they aren't total assholes. No, I do not care. Take this from someone who can't write jerks for the life of them.  
> \---
> 
> Next update will be next Friday, so stay tuned to that!


	3. Chapter 3

The currents are strong today. A golden chance for sports that depend on choppier, rough waves, but a threat for anyone underwater. Kiyoomi sighs as the boat leaves the site. _So much for a diving trip._

He doesn’t feel satisfied with the pictures he took in the reef. There weren't many interesting subjects today, which was pretty disappointing. He was looking forward to finding some juvenile boxfish, scorpionfish, or nudibranchs lying around. Today doesn’t seem like a lucky day after all.

He sighs again, defeated. He quickly makes a plan to go back to the rock pools in the evening, ensuring that he won’t have to go near any kind of crowds. He notices Motoya looking back at him, probably trying to find out what he’s thinking about. He looks back at him to say, “I’m planning to go back to the rock pools later in the evening.”

“Well, you can. It’s still almost midday though. Want to help me sell my catches after lunch?”

“...I guess it's fine.”

Motoya notices his restlessness. “Oh c’mon Kiyoomi! Lighten up a bit, you look irritated. Is it because you didn’t get to see that one surfer I see you looking at whenever we go fishing by the rocks?” A sly smile bloomed on his face, challenging Kiyoomi to dare deny his question.

“Oh, shut up will you. No, it's not the surfer. I just couldn’t find enough interesting animals to take pictures of…” He still blushes anyway, the thought of the surfer back on his mind.

“Well then, at least you can try selling some of your completed prints as an experiment when I sell,” Motoya pauses, “or something like that.”

Kiyoomi stares back at him, “First of all, I’m talking about taking pictures, not selling them. Second of all, why would people buy my pictures in a fish market of all places?”

He walks towards Kiyoomi, eyes shining in excitement. “If it doesn’t work out, at least you might be able to snag a booth in events? Or one in the shopping district? C’mon! I can practically hear your thoughts on customer cleanliness. It’s either the market or shopping district. Your choice on which is less filthy.”

Kiyoomi sighs in exasperation, “Somehow, I think that you are more invested in my own job than I am…”

“Well, you can’t just rely on your online shop, right?”

“...”

“Oh wait, don’t they have a surf hut and bar there? Maybe you can sell your pictures there! Who knows, maybe your hot surfer will be ther-'' Kiyoomi runs up to slap a hand over his mouth before Motoya can finish his sentence.

\--------------------

Evening comes and the crowd goes. Kiyoomi walks towards the rock pools, avoiding what little people are left on the beach. He brings his free diving gear, in hopes that the waves might die down and he can do some dusk diving. He places his gear by the rocks, picking up his camera and immediately searches the nearest rock pool for any animals that might’ve popped out of their hiding places in wait for the high tide to cover the pools for the night.

He doesn’t find the octopus in its rock pool, but he does see a pencil urchin that popped out in between the crevice of two rocks. From an angle, it could make a satisfying picture. He manages a small smile, and aims his camera to an angle where the rays of sunlight that hit the water perfectly fall on the pencil urchin and the rocks.

_Click!_

The camera shutter goes off. The photograph is solidified into the camera roll, ready to be imported and edited to satisfaction. He takes the camera out of the water, ready to find more subjects for another photograph when he hears a shout, accompanied by the sounds of a big wave.

Alerted, Kiyoomi scrambles to hide behind some rocks so as to not get found. But what - or rather, _who_ \- produced that shout, caught his eyes. It’s the blonde surfer, and he looks as if he’s attempting to do something. He doesn’t seem to be doing any of his usual stunts, but he is definitely trying something out. His tongue sticks out in his concentration, and his wide smile is replaced with a look of focus.

The sight wasn't common to see on the usually carefree looking surfer, making Kiyoomi stare, mesmerized. He isn't familiar with surfing stunts in any way - but with the way the surfer keeps attempting to guide the surfboard up against the incoming wave, he knows he’s attempting a hard stunt. The amount of times he has put himself in the brink of falling whilst guiding the board against the waves makes Kiyoomi partly nervous for his safety. The waves are rough, after all.

As much as he wants to stare at the surfer forever, he is reminded of the real reason he came to the rock pools in the first place. The sound of a big wave crashing onto the rockpools closest to the sea startle him enough that he pulls his eyes away from the surfer - albeit reluctantly - and trails his eyes into one of the closest rock pools for another sea creature.

He doesn’t find any interesting sea creatures in the first rock pool, and heads to the next, closer towards the sea. More of them are sure to appear in the deeper pools by the sea. He carefully walks away from the tall rocks, slowly putting his diving mask on. He brings his camera towards his chest, protectively putting an arm around it while slowly maneuvering through slippery rocks.

He peers down into one of the deeper pools, assessing any viable subjects for his photograph. Some of the anemone are starting to show their bioluminescence. Kiyoomi wonders if there were any bioluminescent animals here too. If there were, he would have a good excuse to go here at night.

He focuses on the greens and blues of the bioluminescent anemone, some fish nearby finding a temporary home near it. He tries to find a position where he can balance his camera so he won’t slip and fall. The waves are getting rougher, some of the water splashing his right leg. The rocks are getting more slippery as more water enters the rock pool.

...A beat passes. Another splash of a particularly rough wave manages to soak Kiyoomi’s entire right leg and arm.

He hears a sudden scream that pierced through the sound of rough waves and seagulls squawking. He straightens up, almost slipping on the rocks. His head turns to look behind him to see a lone surfboard getting slightly swept up by the waves.

Panic spikes in his chest as he almost drops his camera by the rocks. Hyperawareness sharpens his senses as he moves quickly towards his gear and closer to the surfboard. Another rough wave hits the entire left side of his body, almost making him lose his footing on the rocks.

He puts his camera down next to his fins with slightly more force than necessary. He frantically puts his fins on while scanning the sea to try to find out where the surfer might be. He hadn't appeared by the time Kiyoomi successfully put his fins on after his fourth failed attempt. Still aware of his surroundings, Kiyoomi deduces that the surfer was using the foot strap that connects him to the surfboard, so he must be close to the board.

He knows he is breaking many safety protocols and skipping most of the steps from his rescue training. Getting himself in the water should be the last thing he has to do, but thinking about the situation as he slips into choppy waters - narrowly avoiding the sharp rocks as he swims against the waves and to the surfboard - he can’t help but to act on his instinct. Iizuna-san will definitely give him an earful for this, but his mind pays no heed to that at the moment. He can practically feel his heart running a marathon as he nears the surfboard, which now has neared a forming rip current. He needs to move fast if he wants to avoid the worst of it.

Finally grasping onto the surfboard with his right hand, he grimaces out of habit. He can’t help the feeling of disgust seeping through him as he touches something that could be filled with dirt and germs. He quickly tries to shake that feeling off, forcing his mind to focus on this rescue mission at hand. He looks over the board, hoping to find any clues as to where the surfer might be.

He immediately sees the rope that supposedly connects to the strap of the surfboard submerged in the water. He feels a heavy tug on the skateboard, confirming his initial suspicions. He looks down into the water and sees the surfer lying limply at the mercy of the waves, unconscious. A tiny feeling of relief crawls up in his chest, telling his racing heart to _calm down and help the surfer_. He grabs for his right ankle, which is the closest body part to him.

He pulls the surfer close to him and immediately secures his head and neck in his slightly shaking hands, bringing the surfer’s head out from underwater. He starts to swim back towards the beach, weighed down by both the surfer and his surfboard dragging behind them. He strays away from the forming rip current, heart slowing just a little as they swim further away from it and a bit closer to the rock pools.

The waves are enough to push them towards the shore, Kiyoomi dragging the man further away from the water before slipping off his fins and mask. He tilts the surfer’s head up, searching for breathing. When he can’t feel air being puffed out, he immediately initiates CPR, hoping that the surfer would survive.

It isn’t long until the surfer coughs out sea water, regaining his breath again as he moves sideways to get the water out of his mouth. After the initial coughing fit, he looks around, a bit confused, “Wha..?”

He never got to finish his question as he locked his brown eyes at Kiyoomi. He froze, looking back at those eyes as if they’re challenging him to look away. He doesn’t know if it's his newfound difficulty to breathe or the tingling in his chest that nags at him as they continue their stare down.

It doesn’t last long unfortunately, as those brown eyes scrunch up in pain. As Kiyoomi pulls back, he sees a big bruise forming on the man's forehead before a hand moves to cover it. He hears a pained groan escaping the man's lips before he delicately takes the hand off of his forehead to assess the injury. He doesn’t have a first aid kit on him, so he softly pokes at the bruise a little to see how bad it is.

A pained yelp makes him flinch, immediately putting a little distance between him and the surfer. Kiyoomi looks at the him, mildly concerned, “...Are you oka-”

An unfamiliar shout interrupts him. He looks up just in time to see a man in a lifeguard uniform running towards them. The lifeguard immediately drops next to the surfer, looking him over. He starts to help the surfer up slowly.

“Kita-san-” the surfer tries to speak but the man shushes him.

“Don’t try to speak too much. You just got out of a potential drowning situation.” He turns to Kiyoomi, who is stuck staring at the exchange between the two, slowly grabbing his fins and tucking them under an arm. “Thank ya for saving him. Although, that was a dangerous stunt ya did back there.” He looks out towards the rough waves then back at him, “Try not to put yerself in dangerous situations like that again, okay? Yer own safety is still important. Again, apologies for interrupting yer evening.”

Kiyoomi takes a deep breath through his nose. He appreciates the concern for his safety, but looking at the interactions between the two, he can’t help the jealousy that bubbles in him. He thinks that this is what it feels like to get stabbed by the barb of a stingray, or whatever they say in those stories. Still, he replies to the lifeguard, “It’s fine. I’ll be on my way. Sorry for interrupting you two. Good evening.”

He stands up before the lifeguard can say anything else. Securing his mask around his neck and his fins under his arm, he starts walking back towards the rock pools to collect his camera before going home. He ignores the quiet exchange between the surfer and lifeguard, bitterly turning his head away as the sides of his mouth quirks down.

_Kita-san…_ He recognizes the name. Iizuna-san had told him stories sometimes about a “Kita-san”, and occasionally, his boyfriend. He never did specify who the boyfriend is, only ever mentioned that he’s a surfer. _Guess I found out who it is…_

He sighs, defeated. He should’ve known he never had a chance - that it was beyond logic to hope for something more from so little. They never even properly met, so why was his hopes so high in the first place?

_Whatever_. Kiyoomi has worse things to worry about. Like the sand sticking along his wetsuit, or how it’s starting to itch his skin, or that when he gets home Iizuna-san is going to inevitably lecture him on proper rescue diving protocols. He doesn’t need to think about choppy waves, or surfers drowning, or those brown eyes that burned through him...

He needs to forget about that damned surfer.

Today really wasn’t his day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and a bit of drama comes...
> 
> ....this might have been a bit fast paced.. its fine though... its just a story....
> 
> _____  
> Fun fact: You usually need some type of certification to be able to take part in rescuing people (at least in scuba diving). One of the rules/general procedure states that jumping into the water and swimming to help someone is the last thing you're supposed to do. The first thing is to throw something that floats at them (if there is) so they stay afloat and calm down. 
> 
> Another fun fact: Rip currents are a real thing in beaches! It is a current that forms right around the shallow waters and it pulls you out into the deeper waters, which becomes dangerous, especially if you can't swim. Don't try to fight against a rip current, as they are too strong. It is best to swim around and away from it.


	4. Chapter 4

It's another sunny day on the beach - which means calmer waves, larger crowds and surfers waiting to be cheered on. This day, however, the cheering and the surfers’ yells of excitement sounds distant. The only sounds Atsumu hears loud and clear are the occasional conversations here and there, the sounds of the knife hitting a chopping board, a stove running at low heat, and the sizzling of a fryer.

“Hey dumbass, get yer head off the counter and help me work.” Atsumu’s head shot up from the surf bar’s counter, eyes locked on his brother who stopped chopping up a fresh tuna he retrieved from the market to look at him. Osamu is slightly glaring at him, peeved that his brother isn’t working on his shift today in the bar.

“Samu, let me be sad in peace! He’s just, so perfect, okay? And, like, I _just_ missed my chance!” His whine might've worked because Osamu rolls his eyes and returns his focus onto the tuna. He doesn’t need to know who Atsumu is talking about - it's been going on for days already. He slumps down again, headbutting the counter harder than intended, eliciting a groan of pain. He wonders if it’s because of the bruise he got a week earlier.

Ever since that accident, Atsumu can’t get the thought of piercing dark green eyes out of his mind. His _angel_ had saved him from nearly drowning. Kita told him what he witnessed, from when he saw the man swim towards the beach with Atsumu and his surfboard in tow, until the moment he left them alone. He told him that the man was tall, and seemed to be some sort of diver. He did have a diving mask and very long fins - ones that aren’t used by those snorkelers they see by the reefs.

Atsumu groaned again. He is once again reminded of why he is stuck in the hut; he received surfing restrictions after the incident and his embarrassing first impression on his angel didn’t really help either. Kita was worried that the injury would affect his surfing - and his general wellbeing - so he told Atsumu to take a break. Knowing Atsumu though, he decided to stick around nearby to make sure that he wouldn’t do anything reckless and decide to surf again. The stare Kita gave him still burns through Atsumu’s mind as he remembers his pathetic attempt to surf in the evening, not noticing that Kita volunteered to take the evening watch for the next couple of weeks.

Now, Atsumu is stuck with working more shifts in the hut with Osamu while his friends have fun surfing out by the waves. Kita is out there by his post, talking to Oomimi who went out earlier to collect seashells for the hut’s decorations. Akagi is somewhere in the back, manning the stove and the fryer, finishing an order from two customers.

He hears Gin and Suna walking back towards the hut, engaged in a conversation. He looks up at Osamu, who’s eyes light up just a tad bit at the sound of his boyfriend’s voice. He sighs softly, turning back to where the sounds of footsteps and soft voices are coming closer.

Two pairs of feet enter the bar area; one clad in aqua shoes and the other in sandals. The conversation ends as Suna heads straight towards the bar and Gin walks off to start wiping down the counters and tables. Suna props his surfboard by the counter and takes a seat beside Atsumu, briefly smiling at Osamu before turning his attention towards him.

“Are you _still_ sulking about that?” He pointedly stares at Atsumu, “Man, you’ve really gotten extra annoying.”

Atsumu shot up from his seat, “Hey!-”

“He is kinda right, ya know,” Osamu interjected, putting the fish fillet aside and pointing the knife at him, “especially when ya can’t keep yer mouth shut about yer “angel”. Why don’t ya just talk to him like a normal person?”

Mimicking a wilting rose, Atsumu slumps back onto his seat. “ _Nonono_ \- don’t ya see? It's way more complicated than that.”

The couple turned to look at each other, then back at Atsumu. This time, Suna speaks up, “What part of it is complicated? You’re just talking to him.”

“That’s the main problem! Ya see, he is too hot for me to even speak, okay?” He slams his palms on the counter, “And I’m helplessly gay for him, so I _know_ I’m gonna fuck up and act like a pathetic mess in front of him… And that incident? How am I supposed to approach him after that?”

Osamu sighs, “Yer such a mess.”

“If _I’m_ a mess, what were ya before ya started dating Suna?” Atsumu looks at his brother with a foxy glint in his eyes. “I’d say yer as bad as me. Yer a stuttering mess of a human being whenever Suna gets close - and don’t get me started on all the “Suna this” and “Suna that”. Not to mention that one time Suna needed help zipping his wetsuit on-” Osamu’s hand is on his mouth, interrupting him from speaking.

Atsumu looks at the couple. Osamu looks as red as a cooked lobster, pointedly looking away from the two. Suna is in a similar state, but he had a soft smile on his face. Atsumu scoffs a bit. _They’re annoyingly adorable_. He pries Osamu’s hand off of his mouth and stands up.

“Move yer PDA elsewhere will ya? I’m off to work to get away from yer disgusting asses.” He moves to the swinging latch on the side of the bar counter to finally start his shift, leaving the couple alone before becoming an unwilling third wheeler.

A hand on his shoulder stops him from entering the bar. He turns around and sees Gin smiling at him. He hands him an envelope without anything written in the front. Atsumu looks at the envelope and back at Gin, eyes showing curiosity.

Gin grinned. “This is for ya. I got them earlier today. I figured this one’s for ya so ya better appreciate it.” He turns to walk towards the next table, but decides to say a little more. “Oh ya, Osamu’s right. Ya should talk to him sooner rather than later. Ya might think that it’s been a while, but it’s better late than never, right?” And with that, he walks away.

Left speechless, Atsumu decides to open the envelope. Inside is what looks to be a photograph of a manta ray. It’s in the open ocean, just beyond the reef’s edge. It’s all alone; the remoras that usually follow manta rays aren’t there, nor are other rays following it. The manta ray looks distant and untouchable, swimming out to sea on it’s own. On the bottom right, a signature of who he assumes is the photographer’s is placed there, showing who the credits go to. It spells out the name “Kiyo”. Overall, the photograph looks serene.

Atsumu, confused, turns back towards Gin. “What’s this photo for? I don’t get it.”

Gin turns towards Atsumu and smiles back. “Keep it. Ya will find out soon enough. Trust me on this.” He turns back to rearrange the seashells in transparent pots.

Atsumu looks at the photograph again. _Why’d he give me this?_ He stares at the fish, then at the signature. He walks off, dropping the photograph into his bag on the way to the bar. Now, however, he starts chopping a bonito, alone in his thoughts, thinking of ways to talk to his angel. Atsumu thinks he’ll gain the courage to talk to him in a few more days.

\--------------------

He did not gain enough courage.

Now, he is thoroughly fucked.

It’s only the next day when Osamu and (surprisingly) Kita push him out of the hut and insist he talk to the man now. Suna only gives him a smirk and a thumbs up. Gin and Aran give him a pat on the back. Akagi and Oomimi tell him that they would make some fatty tuna dishes for him once he comes back. Atsumu is definitely feeling the support from his friends.

He marches in the direction of the rock pools like a confident shark locked on its prey. But as the distance lessens, his steps grow sluggish, resembling more of a terrified moray eel unable to hide because of a current rather than the proud shark he started as. Atsumu is definitely not ready for this; he didn’t even practice his speech the night before. He knows he’s gonna mess up one way or another - that’s a given.

Slumping a bit in defeat, he opts to brace himself for the inevitably embarrassing conversation he’s going to have with the man. He hopes that he can make a better second impression of himself. Then he realizes - maybe he shouldn’t be stuck in his thoughts like this. Maybe he walked a bit too far-

His thoughts are halted as he trips on a stray rock on the ground. He isn’t fast enough to react - which is unfortunate - and faceplants onto the sand. 

Luckily, he didn’t injure himself. Unluckily, he yelped in surprise during his fall, which attracts some not-so-wanted attention from beyond a cluster of rocks.

“...Hello?” A deep voice surprises him. He jolts up, landing on a sitting position facing whoever spoke. It's the angel. His hair is slightly damp, some strands stuck on his forehead. He is wearing a long sleeved wetsuit, gloves covering his hands. Dark green eyes that bear curiosity stare at him.

Atsumu now remembers that he had just face planted on the beach and there is a big fat chance that the angel saw him. His face warms up at the thought, reluctantly accepting the fact that his second impression did not go as planned. He gets up, pats away the sand on his shorts, and, with shaky confidence, beams up at the man.

“Hello to ya too! I uh- wanna thank you for that save last week.” He averts his eyes slightly in his embarrassment for stuttering, but tries to maintain the smile. “I want to uh- compensate, I guess, can we get to know each other? Ya know, like, as friends or something…”

The man stares him down. He looks shocked, which might be a bad thing and Atsumu might just die right now. Atsumu’s smile breaks, and he looks down, shuffling his feet in a fit of nerves. “Or if ya wanna just stare at me, that’s fine too I guess. I mean, I get it.” He gathers the courage to look up at dark green eyes, a sly smirk settling on his face and thumb pointing at himself, “No one can resist _this_ guy.”

The man’s face twisted from shock to disgust. He turns to walk back towards the rock pools, but not without giving his own piece of mind, “With that face and filthy attitude? Yeah, I can resist.”

“The heck did ya just say about my face? It's perfect as it is, thank you very much.”

“With that hairdo and that ugly face? I doubt it. You look like you got hay stuck on your head. Your expressions sure are making your face look uglier.”

_...What a jerk_. Too bad he has a pretty face and Atsumu wants to actually get to know him. He reaches out his hand to grab the man by the arm, stopping him from walking away. “Wait-”

He jumps, pulling his arm away from Atsumu like he’s a flame that managed to burn his skin. He turns to him with an extremely irritated face, “ _Don’t touch me._ ” 

Atsumu brings his hand back, put off by the man’s own attitude. “Okay… Sorry. Yer being really difficult, ya know that? I just wanna get to know ya… Is that so much to ask?”

The man looks at him with an unreadable expression, “Maybe it is, if you’re going to act like the world will give you attention.” He steps back. Atsumu stomps forward to even the distance.

“Ya did _not_ just say that to me.”

“I said what I said.”

“Well, maybe I just wanna get _yer_ attention!”

“What’s so special about me, huh? Just satisfy your need for attention from the people constantly crowding around you,” he spits out, averting his eyes away from Atsumu, although the blonde could’ve sworn he saw a hint of disappointment hidden in those eyes. “Maybe bother your boyfriend while you’re at it. That’s what a partner is supposed to do right?”

The last two statements stops Atsumu’s train of thought. Like a piece of stressed wire being cut off, he stumbles back, “W-wha? Huh?”

“...That’s what I thought.” The man turns around, walking away from him - to a place so close yet so distant, beyond the rocks bordering the beach to the pools.

“Hey, Wait! What in the whole ass seven seas makes ya think I have a boyfriend?” Atsumu scrambles to try to mend the conversation, but the man is already out of earshot. He considers shouting, but refrains because of the signs the man has given off throughout their entire interaction. He doubts that the man will be willing to listen.

But a _boyfriend_ … Why would the man assume that Atsumu has a boyfriend? He knows the man knows about the crowds he attracts, and if he is sure that Atsumu has a romantic partner, he wouldn’t know the gender. How is he sure that Atsumu isn’t straight?

The realization dawned on him. _Kita_. He might have assumed that him and Kita were together after that incident - but why does the man seem so sad? Atsumu is determined to know.

As the black haired man grabs his camera and starts to stalk off to a small looking rock pool, Atsumu can’t help but think that this man’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing - a demon disguised as an angel. He’s a complete jerk. A completely adorable, hot jerk. He hates it. He hates that he’s got all his attention on that man. He hates that he still likes him.

He is reminded of the photograph of the distant manta ray. That photo reflects the man accurately. Oh how Atsumu wishes to be another ray that is willing to swim with him, becoming a blanket of comfort amidst the loneliness it brings...

It's decided.

Atsumu _will_ get his chances with him. He wants it - his mind too. But first, he needs to give the best _third_ impression he can make and have an interaction that isn’t a full blown argument. He knows what to do: befriend him, then he can make his move on him. Third time’s the charm, or so they say.

Right now, he’s marching back towards the hut, disappointed by their failed conversation but determined in his (not yet made) plan. He needs to whine to his friends - especially Kita - and enlist them to help Atsumu get his man. Then after that, he will introduce the man to his friends and they can all live happily ever after...

Oh wait.

...He forgot to ask for that angel’s name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the Sunaosa in this one :)
> 
> Atsumu is a mess... But a lovable mess.... How could he mess up that bad?
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and the support so far! It's been fun writing this haha


	5. Chapter 5

It’s a sunny day out at sea. Fluffy white clouds are dotted across the large expanse of the blue sky. Two fishing rods are propped on the gunnel of a boat, their lines disappearing underwater. The gentle waves rock the boat from side to side, lulling one of its occupants into a light sleep. The other however, stands in wait, eyes acutely observing the movement of their lines.

...A beat passes.

One of the rods starts to jerk, the line dragging away from the boat. The standing occupant runs up to the rod and takes it out of its stand. He starts reeling in the catch, expertly making sure that the line doesn’t stress too much. The catch doesn’t seem to want to tire out, so he has to fight this battle for a longer time. 

He’s still in the middle of battling whatever is on the other side of the line when the second rod starts reeling. “Kiyoomi, fish!” he shouts towards the sleeping figure.

Kiyoomi jumps up in surprise and mild irritation, rudely awoken by his cousin shouting at him. He turns to where Motoya is standing, fighting a fish on one rod while the other rod continues its endless reeling. Feet quickly meet the deck before they rush towards the back, hands finding a firm grasp on the rod.

It takes some time before Motoya manages to reel in a large yellowtail. He grins, satisfied with this catch as he pulls the yellowtail onto the boat and into an ice box. He glances at Kiyoomi, still fighting the fish, albeit not struggling as much. He decides to put his rod away, having caught enough fish to sell in the market tomorrow. Kiyoomi’s catch will be their final one before they take a small detour back to the tiny dock connected to their house.

Normally, they would take some time to go free diving, especially in a weather like this - but Kiyoomi had seemed off these past two weeks. He declined the offer earlier before he entered the boat, frown evident on his face. Motoya has a hunch on what the problem is, but he’s still finding the right moment to ask him - he didn’t want to distress Kiyoomi even further.

His thoughts get cut off when a thud on the boat deck and Kiyoomi’s grunt of disgust is heard. He looks back to see that Kiyoomi managed to reel in a medium sized bonito. The grin on Motoya’s face grows, delighted. 

“Nice catch! That bonito will definitely be sold for a nice price.” He flashes his wide grin at Kiyoomi.

His cousin stares at the pathetically flopping bonito with imminent disgust. If his stare can burn something, the bonito would be a nicely cooked meal for their dinner. “...Yeah, you’re welcome” 

Motoya pretends not to notice Kiyoomi’s curt response. Usually, he would’ve added another comment. _Maybe the problem is bigger than Motoya anticipated._

“Alright then.” Motoya unhooks the bonito and puts it in the icebox. He starts to assess his catches while Kiyoomi puts the second rod into its case. He counts the amount of fish and identifies the species of his catches before grabbing his fishing journal and writing his records on it. He can figure out their sizes and prices later on. Right now, he has to drive the boat back.

“Sit back and relax, for I will drive us back home. Let’s go!” Motoya exclaims to try to get his cousin to react. But only silence greets him back. He looks over his shoulder to find Kiyoomi lying down on the cushions he bought a year back when Motoya decided to upgrade his boat to accommodate both fishing and diving.

Motoya sighs inaudibly, turning to the controls and starting the engine. He begins their journey towards home. He continues to drive past the reef they frequent, the rock formation they both fish on every month or so, the cliff overlooking the rock pools, and the beach where the surfers are having a grand time at this hour of day.

If he notices his cousin sitting up and looking out the window towards the beach and surfers, he doesn’t comment on it.

\--------------------

It isn’t until the next day that Motoya decides to act on his cousin’s aloofness. He just got back from selling a good amount of fish in the market before he barges into Kiyoomi’s room to see him editing a picture of a leaf sheep he found the other day when he went free diving alone. “Kiyoomi. You’re acting off for the past two weeks,” he accuses, “I want answers.”

Kiyoomi looks back at him with a neutral expression, but his eyes seem _miserable_. He moves to walk out of his room, but Motoya’s sudden grip on his wrist stops him from doing so. Motoya pulls his cousin towards his bed, gesturing him to sit before grabbing the desk chair and placing it backwards in front of Kiyoomi. He sits down on the chair and props his hands on the backrest, brown eyes boring into dark green eyes, silently getting his point across.

It seems that he won, as Kiyoomi averts his eyes and sighs. He fidgets on the bed, taking a deep breath before opening his mouth to speak. “It’s a long story. Are you sure you want to listen to it?”

“Kiyoomi,” Motoya narrows his eyes at him, “I’m _literally_ your cousin and your best friend. What in this entire world would make you think that I’m not going to help you?”

“...It isn’t that big of a deal.”

“Well, with you acting off for the past three weeks, it seems like a pretty big deal.” Motoya shifts into a more comfortable position on his seat. “So just spill. I’ll help you. That’s what best friends are for, no?”

Kiyoomi gulps, and starts to retell his story, “You know about that blonde surfer right?”

“The one you’re literally pining over without even talking to him?”

“Shut up.” He glares at Motoya. “I… might have messed up big time.”

Motoya facepalms. “Did your pining gay ass embarrass yourself or did you do something that he might not like?”

Kiyoomi ducks his head and curls in on himself, as if the information he’s about to give will break him apart. “...He’s dating Iizuna-san’s friend, Kita. I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up but - feelings are the worst.”

Motoya blinks, confused. Sure, he knows that Iizuna has a friend named Kita, but he remembers the time when Iizuna described that Kita’s boyfriend doesn’t have light colored hair. Kiyoomi might have forgotten about that detail, as he was also busy watermarking his photographs at the time.

“Man, you’re drawing conclusions faster than a black marlin can swim,” He snorts at the incredulous look Kiyoomi throws at him.

“What do you mean? I was right there when it happened.”

“When _what_ happened?” Kiyoomi is slowly losing his patience.

“When they interacted!”

“Seriously? He was injured and Kita had to help him ‘cause he’s a _lifeguard_ ,” Motoya sighs in exasperation. “Kiyoomi, why would you think that a single interaction meant that they’re dating? There is a thing called friends you know…”

“But what if they are dating?”

“What _if_ ,” Motoya repeats, “nothing so far confirms that they’re dating. You’re thinking too much into this.”

Kiyoomi glares at him, defeated that his cousin proved a valid point. Motoya reaches his hand out to slap Kiyoomi’s arm. He doesn’t know whether to laugh in hysterics or cry in frustrated pain over his cousin’s thought process.

“Look, Kiyoomi, you’re overthinking it. You still have a chance - why don’t you go talk to your crush like a normal person would?”

Kiyoomi breaks his glare to look away, pink spreading his cheeks and the tips of his ears. His voice turns softer, almost sheepish, “Right… about that… I might have messed that up too.”

Motoya mentally kicks himself for forgetting that his cousin is a disaster of a human being when it comes to social interaction. 

“...What the fuck did you do?”

“I uh- kind of insulted him. And it may or may not have turned into an argument.”

Motoya facepalms again. “You’re hopeless. How about you talk to him again?”

“I can’t. I’ve already messed up once, I am not messing up again… Wait, maybe he does have a boyfriend cause he seemed shocked that I mentioned it,” Kiyoomi realizes like he’d just had an epiphany, continuing his rambling, “but he’s an asshole too so it’d be easier for me can get over him-”

“Woah, wait- slow down,” Motoya grabs on to his arm, careful not to make Kiyoomi flinch. He turns Kiyoomi towards him and shakes him lightly. “You are an idiot,” he enunciates. “Did it ever occur to you he might just be shocked ‘cause he didn’t expect you to accuse him of having a boyfriend?” He stops his shaking, waiting for Kiyoomi’s response.

“...Fine. I may be overthinking it.” He locks his eyes with Motoya’s, a hint of a worried expression blooming on his face. “Now what?”

“ _Now_ , you have to fix your fuck-up of a conversation by talking to him again.” Motoya lets his hands rest on Kiyoomi’s shoulders, then grins at him, “Find and take the first opportunity you get, ‘cause you might not get another one.”

Kiyoomi nods, a determined look settling in his eyes, although he still seemed tense about the whole ordeal.

Motoya stands up, turning to walk out of the room, but not before sending Kiyoomi a smirk, “By the way, you said he’s an asshole? Sounds like a perfect fit for you.”

“Shut up Motoya!” Kiyoomi’s face is surely able to rival a cooked lobster at this rate.

\--------------------

Motoya decides to go to the beach to do some… information gathering on the blonde surfer. He knows that Kiyoomi is too much of a mess to make another move, so he resorted to taking matters into his own hands.

The 3 PM sun warms up the dry sand as Motoya weaves through crowds on his journey to the surf’s hut. He manages to get in, sitting on a barstool by the counter before ordering some cold watermelon juice. He surveys his surroundings, admiring the shell and coastal plant collection that livens up the place. Surfboards are propped by the wall or on it’s stands - a staple for a surf’s hut. It’s also a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. _This might be the perfect spot to sell merchandise_...

He looks around for a particular head of blonde hair, finding him in no time next to his twin and surrounded by his friends. He wasn’t surfing, but he seemed to be having just as much fun messing with his friends. He sees Iizuna and Kita talking a little ways from them - they probably have to stay vigilant at work too. Iizuna seems far away enough to not see him, which is fine. Motoya isn’t here for him anyway.

A bartender sets his drink on the counter. With a small thanks, Motoya takes a sip of his drink through the metal straw. He looks at the bartender, who is looking at the blonde’s group. _Must be his friend… Perfect_.

“So, I’m interested in that blonde surfer over there. You know him right?” At the bartender’s surprised nod, he continues, “He’s single?”

The bartender looks at the blonde, then back at Motoya. “Ya have no chance. He’s already got his eyes on someone else.”

“I see,” Motoya pretends to think, “Does that special someone happen to be a guy with black curly hair and two moles above his right eyebrow?” Motoya tries to hold back a laugh at the bartender’s shocked expression. “It is, isn’t it? Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

The bartender scrambles to exit the bar and sit next to Motoya, pulling him closer. “Do ya perhaps know him?”

“Yeah, we live together.” He grins. “Is blondie there a disaster? ‘Cause Kiyoomi is a mess when it comes to crushes.”

It takes a few seconds for the bartender to process this information in his head. His eyes widen in realization, then proceeds to laugh, slapping Motoya’s shoulder lightly. “Oh so his name is Kiyoomi? Atsumu over there would be ecstatic to know that. But- oh boy, is Atsumu horrible at holding conversations with people he likes. His assholery is off the charts.”

“So we have _two_ assholes in our hands who’ll never admit they like each other,” Motoya laughs. “This is going to be a trainwreck... Oh yeah,” he leans closer to the bartender, “please don’t mention this to anyone yet. It’d be funnier to see them suffer for a bit more.”

The bartender laughs along, a foxy grin on his face. “Oh so yer that type of evil, huh? I like ya.” He holds his hand out for a handshake, “Name’s Ginjima Hitoshi. Ya can call me Gin.”

Motoya returns the handshake, grinning. “Komori Motoya, Sakusa Kiyoomi’s amazing wingman- that’s his full name by the way. Just call me Komori if you want.”

Gin looks out and points at Atsumu, “His full name’s Miya Atsumu. Man, he’s gonna be so pissed to know that I know his “angel’s” name before him…”

Motoya raises his eyebrows. “He calls him “angel”? Holy shit.” He props his arms on the bar counter, “he must be _that_ whipped to be calling someone like Kiyoomi an angel.”

“Yeah, ya can say that. Atsumu wouldn’t shut up about him.” Gin grins. He turns to Motoya. “No, I won’t tell him his name either. I wanna wait until he finds out himself. It will be hilarious.” He adds.

They both laugh again, amused by this whole predicament of two fools dancing around each other. Unfortunately, their laughs are loud enough to attract the attention of the group of friends, as well as Kita and Iizuna.

“...Komori?” Iizuna calls, heads turning towards the both of them confusedly. Motoya immediately stands and waves back at Iizuna.

“Yo, Iizuna! Just stopping by for a drink.” He turns to walk away. “Make sure to check out Kiyoomi’s new batch of pictures he’s selling - they’re an amazing addition for your photo wall.”

He takes a few steps before spotting a few photographs on part of the wall of the hut, then turns to Gin. “And thanks for buying Kiyoomi’s pictures. It means a lot to him,” he smiles sincerely at Gin’s knowing expression, disregarding the whole fiasco behind him and walking away from this big problem he probably started. He can already hear exclamations being thrown between them. 

Oh well, he’s got his information. Now, it’s his turn to try to convince Kiyoomi to be the brave scorpionfish he’s meant to be and swim out of his hiding place to meet his man. At this point, he might need to take some of those opportunities himself to make this happen.

They don’t call him a good wingman for nothing, even if he might have to be a bit evil to get things going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evil Motoya who's done with Kiyoomi's shit is just... too good. I think that Motoya would be a good wingman even though he will definitely tease a lot. 
> 
> Also wanted to add some Gin content cause I never seem to see much of him so I hope u enjoyed that too.
> 
> Hi! sorry for the late update. School's been giving me headaches. thank you for waiting!
> 
> \---  
> fun fact: black marlins are one of (if not the) fastest fish in the world as of now!
> 
> another fun fact: stonefish and scorpion fish are different even though they may look the same. stonefish usually looks like literal rocks while u can generally see the shape of a scorpion fish even though they're camouflaging. They both rarely move out of their place of ambush.


	6. Chapter 6

The coastal breeze blows through the window of a sunlit bedroom, gently rustling the leaves of a plant near the window. A leaf blows off towards the direction of the numerous books that are tucked neatly in the bookshelf by the door. A comfortable looking bed sits farthest from the window, pastel blue blankets and pillows laid neatly on it. A big sea urchin plushie is placed in between the two pillows, its cute smile facing the foot of the bed.

A speaker plays a soft tune - the only sound in the room other than the clicking of the mouse and keyboard on the desk positioned closest to the window. A computer sits on the desk, Adobe Lightroom opened and the picture of a spanish dancer in the process of the final touches in editing. A big photo printer just finished bulk printing copies of photographs and it is ready to be packaged and shipped off to buyers. The day seems entirely peaceful.

Kiyoomi thinks otherwise, as he finishes editing the picture and proceeds to save the file in both his computer hardware and in a flash disk. This picture will be starred in his next nudibranch photo series he plans to release. He sighs, leaning back on his chair while thoughts from a few days ago floods his mind.

As much as he hates to admit it, he knows Motoya is right. He would argue that he is someone who doesn’t make any assumptions without any evidence, but it seems that having a crush would throw all that out at sea. He feels like an oyster, forcefully cracked open as prying hands claw to see the pearl lying inside - Kiyoomi hates it. He knows he isn’t easy to approach; his bluntness and aloofness effectively shoving people away.

He thinks about a surfboard gliding through the waves, guided by a man sent up by Poseidon; maybe he’s too pretty to be a merman. His golden hair is highlighted by the sunlight, casting an imaginary halo on his head. A wide smile adorns his face, lighting up the dreary day out at sea.

Kiyoomi opens a file in his computer, the two unedited photographs of the surfer looking back at him. He opens the first one - the first evening he saw him. He stares at the surfer’s face of mirth, silently hoping that he may be the one to make him laugh like that again. A far fetched dream he wants to reach; a hand reaching out towards the glint of a pearl necklace in the crashing waves of a sea in a thunderstorm. 

He sighs wistfully. Well, a man can dream.

He exits the file and shuts his computer down. He stands, eyes peering out to the sea. Evening is arriving and the low tide is ending. Dark green meets the blue of the waves - calm and inviting. A gust of wind enters the room, gently blowing through his hair. It’s a nice day for a diving trip.

That trip sounds appealing at the moment. He can attempt to forget about golden hair when he’s busy focusing on his breathing. He just needs to find a suitable diving site. Preferably one where all kinds of creatures will be able to keep him entertained… The reefs a little ways from the beach seems good.

He bolts towards Motoya’s room, knocking two times before entering. He sees Motoya with his legs crossed on the floor, fixing and arranging hooks into several small containers, yet stopping abruptly to look up at him questioningly.

“Can you drive the boat to the reef near the beach? I want to dive.” Kiyoomi leans on the doorframe, arms crossed.

Motoya blinks. Once. Twice. “...Am I hallucinating?”

“What do you mean?” Kiyoomi clicks his tongue.

“I mean, you haven’t been in the mood to dive for weeks. And _now_ , you want to dive?”

“Yes.”

“Why now?” Motoya props his elbows on his knees and his head on his hands, staring with curiosity.

“Because I feel like it now. And the weather’s nice.” Kiyoomi uncrosses his arms, gesturing towards the view from Motoya’s window.

Motoya sighs before standing up and setting his hooks aside. “Alright, but I’m staying on the boat.”

Kiyoomi nods, walking away from Motoya’s room to grab his gear and head to the boat. By the time Motoya readily hops towards the controls after unraveling the rope keeping the boat on the docks, Kiyoomi is clad in his wetsuit and diving boots, holding onto his mask and sitting next to his fins and weight belt.

Motoya stares at him, slightly confused. “No camera?”

“No… Just the feeling of the sea for today.”

“...Alright then. Off we go!” Motoya turns towards the controls and starts to drive the boat away from their house.

The boat speeds off towards the reef, the lack of choppy waves making this journey a lot calmer - but Kiyoomi can’t feel its calmness when he still has his thoughts tangled in imaginary kelp.

\--------------------

The first clear thought comes when Kiyoomi enters the water: _It’s pretty cold_. The water seeps into any exposed skin that isn’t covered by his wetsuit. He grabs on to the boat’s ladder, ensuring that his fins and weight belt are secure on him. He puts his mask on and starts his breathe-up technique before descending into the cold yet radiant abyss.

The reefs are teeming with color. Bleeds of pinks, purples, yellows, reds, and greens of the coral decorate the sea floor as fishes of bright and muted colors alike swim freely. Kiyoomi swims closer to the corals, the open sea on his left as he focuses on any interesting sea creatures hiding in the reef. 

He spots a sea turtle pushing itself off of a sea sponge before swimming away. He quickly follows the turtle, swimming side by side as they both break the sea’s surface for air. They swim back down, the turtle swimming towards the open sea. Kiyoomi stares as it vanishes into the blues of the darkening water.

He swims away, spotting a giant nudibranch on a rock nearby. An emperor shrimp is hitching a ride on the nudibranch, red and white contrasting against muted browns, yellows, and purples. The picture of a distinct figure on a surfboard enters his thoughts.

He shakes his thoughts away. There is a purpose for this dive: to get his mind off of any thought of that man. He needs to get his head out of the sand if all he’s going to do is daydream about him instead of enjoying his dive alone. He swims towards the corals in hope of finding something to catch his eye.

He maneuvers around the rocks, only stopping to see several reef fish he deems interesting to watch. Up ahead, not too far from the surface of the water, a few sea nettles are hunting for some small fish. For animals that aren’t commonly seen in reefs, Kiyoomi uses this golden chance to admire them. 

He nears them, hoping to see the details of their tentacles. They seem to glow in the evening light, the tentacles shining in brilliance. He can’t help but stare at them. Memories of golden hair at dusk trickles in, slowly invading his thoughts and stopping him from swimming near. 

He moves to turn away when an unexpected current surprises him. He scrambles to follow the current that is fortunately flowing in the direction he plans to go through.

Suddenly, a sudden sting. His mind registers a burning sensation that immediately travels up his right leg. He looks down on his right leg, where two pieces of tentacles managed to prick the skin of his ankle, successfully wrapping around it and leaving prints on his skin. He panics, losing his breath as he scrambles for air.

Kiyoomi’s head bursts through the sea’s surface. He pulls off his mask and puts it on his neck while attempting to lift his leg up to further assess the damage. It seems that during his haste to catch the current, he accidentally bumped into one of the sea nettles, causing it to stick their tentacles on his ankle and fin. He shakes off the tentacles stuck on his fin, but his leg stings as the tentacles on his ankle are jostled around.

Kiyoomi looks around for Motoya’s boat, sighing in defeat when the boat is nowhere to be found. He needs to find land and seek medical assistance fast. So he decides to stick to the rocks on his right, hoping that they will lead to a beach.

The sun starts to set, painting the sky in hues of purple and pink as Kiyoomi slowly moves by the rocks, careful not to irritate his injury further. When the rocks started to break off to a beach, however, he doesn't expect to see the same beach he frequents each day. He’d apparently been diving far enough to reach the rock pools by the beach.

Slowly, he starts to swim out towards the sand; that piece of land seems like a lifesaver at this moment. A shout, however, makes him stop behind a jagged rock. He peeks out, spotting the owner of the shout. It's the surfer; his grin that lights up the moon adorns his face, the sky bathing his form into an ethereal form. He seems to be doing the same stunt that caused his accident those weeks back. This time, it looks like he’s improved.

The diver decides to watch him, disregarding the pain in his leg. He knows it’s bad, but all rational thought seems to disappear into thin air whenever he sees the surfer. Said surfer does another attempt of the stunt, not noticing the pair of eyes watching him from afar.

Rough waves crash through, giving the surfer a great opportunity to do his stunt. He lines his surfboard up towards the waves, timing his approach to launch the surfboard up in the air. He moves his weight from one foot to the other to turn his surfboard around midair before landing backwards onto the waves. The surfer cheers, happy to accomplish the totally impressive stunt.

It was only a brief moment. This tiny moment that ends just when it feels like it's starting. The stunts, Kiyoomi realizes, are just like photography. He can see the overjoyed face on the surfer. He _knows_ that feeling. He feels it during the moments when he manages to take those perfect looking pictures. He feels it during the moments when he manages to find something interesting in the midst of an awful dive. Maybe they aren’t as different as he thought they would be… But _damn_ is that look of accomplishment so cute on the surfer’s face.

The water rolls back, getting ready to unleash another strong wave. The surfer follows the water with a stupid smile on his face, seemingly content with a simple ride off of the incoming waves. Kiyoomi smiles softly at him, the cage of butterflies breaking out of his chest and engulfing his whole body in warmth.

Kiyoomi is too distracted by the surfer’s presence to notice a big wave coming behind him, ready to consume him whole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO, IM BACK AFTER MORE THAN A MONTH OF INACTIVITY! Thank you for waiting!
> 
> sorry for that! I had some personal problems that really let me down but I'm back and I'm in a better mood. I hope this chapter can make up for it :')
> 
> This chapter may not be the best, but I can say that I might be improving on my writing? I don't know haha
> 
> \---
> 
> Fun Fact: Emperor Shrimps are known to hitch rides on the backs of various nudibranch and sea cucumbers. Sometimes, they can also be seen on certain sea stars!
> 
> Fun Fact: Sea nettles are similar to jellyfish, but their sting would only be able to kill their prey. If one manages to sting you, don't worry. You won't die. I will elaborate a bit on how to treat it soon.... Maybe.....
> 
> Fun Fact: Adobe Lightroom is a photo editing software that uses a subscription. Many photographers use this software as it provides a lot of tools that can be used to edit a photograph.


	7. Chapter 7

The day was bright, but the waves were rough. 

Atsumu, now allowed to surf again, decides to accomplish the stunt he’d been meaning to do during that incident. So, he decides to head out in the evening. He knows it might be dangerous to attempt it again - less so when he’s completely alone - but the waves aren’t as rough and the sky hasn’t gotten darker. He’s let off the hook and he immediately gets ready for his surfing trip.

“Ya better come back safe, ya dipshit!” Osamu hollers from inside their house. He’s sitting on Suna’s lap on the couch. Suna’s arms are looped around his waist… _gross_. 

“Yeah, yeah. I will. Have fun on yer disgusting date!” Atsumu slips through the door.

“Pfft- he’s just jealous isn’t h-“ The door shuts before Suna manages to finish his statement.

With a tiny huff, Atsumu decides to venture towards the surf hut, where he knows his surfboard is stored. He already asked Oomimi for access to the surfboards (under the watchful gaze of Kita-san of course) so he knows he’s got permission for snooping into the hut without getting scolded. 

Once on the beach, he rushes towards the surf hut and proceeds to change into his wetsuit… Outside the hut. He is fortunate that the beach is surprisingly empty at this time of day. He places his change of clothes behind the counter of the bar, away from prying eyes.

He grabs his surfboard outside and secures the ankle strap before making a running start towards the sea. Cool water splashes against his ankles while he drops the surfboard and lies stomach down on it. He starts paddling towards the first wave, ready for warmups.

He knows this will be a fun time.

\--------------------

The water rolls back, signalling a wave incoming. As the big body of water starts to form, Atsumu excitedly paddles towards it, gaining momentum. He reaches its peak and stands up, feeling the freeing winds and letting the water guide his board towards the shore. However, he doesn’t quite reach the shore.

He maneuvers the surfboard towards a bigger incoming wave. The wind blows, ruffling his hair. He moves to ride it, the surfboard picking up speed. He bends his knees, ready to spring up at the right time. The waves close in onto the surface of the water. Atsumu takes a deep breath. _Control_. 

He aims at the peak of the wave. Once the top half of the surfboard is out of the water, he turns his shoulders in a spin, his back foot pushing at the surfboard as he springs off of the lip of the wave.

With great balance, he stays on the surfboard as it does a spin. His stance widens, remembering to keep his front leg bent and his back leg extended. His hands are stretched, keeping him from falling off midway.

The surfboard lands on the wave after doing a complete 180 degree turn midair. Atsumu bends his legs down low, absorbing the landing as he puts more weight towards his back foot to steady himself. The wave guides the surfboard into another 180 degree spin, ending when the wave ceases. He turns towards the calmer waters while he relishes in his victory.

He imagines he looks graceful - fluidly flying on a surfboard as it spins in the air before landing on the water (with style). Messy golden hair shines under the setting sun, eyes sparkling and mouth stretched into a proud smile. 

It's thrilling. Surfing makes him feel free, like a bird who is finally given the chance to fly. The sound of the waves drown out every dull thought in his brain. The feeling of accomplishment washes through him - a comforting presence whenever he manages to finish a stunt.

A big wave crashes. The sound would have cleared his thoughts if not for the sudden yelp that followed it. His eyes snap open, quickly surveying the area for the sound of the yelp. The waves haven’t rolled back, giving him ample time to paddle towards the general direction of the sound - a rock outcrop. 

He nears the outcrop located by the edge of the beach. Water crashes against the rocks, splashing barnacles and crabs that took refuge there. The rocks have crevices that make them sharp enough to pierce skin if a person isn’t careful enough. However, he can’t find any signs of life by the outcrop. His lips pull down to a frown. Maybe that yelp was just his imagination, unless the rocks have miraculously gained the ability to create human noises. 

The water rolls back - another big wave incoming. Atsumu is ready to turn away until something catches his eye. It’s a hand holding onto one of the bigger rocks. Blood trickles down the rock from a cut on the palm. With a start, he starts paddling towards the person behind that big rock. He is a nice person, after all.

He reaches the rock, careful to slip off of the surfboard. He uses it to create a barrier between him and the rock as he swims around it to prevent him from any injuries by the rough waves. He grabs onto the rock - careful not to get nicked - and maneuvers himself so that he can be next to the person and offer assistance. 

He expects a polite person who would be willing to let him help them with minimal injury. He can take them to the hut and treat the bleeding hand with the supplies from the first aid kit… Maybe make some small talk and then gain a friend.

What he doesn’t expect, however, is dark green eyes staring at him. Curly black hair frames the face of an attractive man. Two moles sit atop his right eyebrow. A diving mask is settled around his neck and his wetsuit perfectly conceals any muscle he has. Atsumu’s breath hitches. It's the angel. _Holy heck he looks so hot right now-_

A surprised noise wrenches him out of his thoughts, forcing him to focus on the myriad of emotions that somehow manages to show on the angel’s face. Surprise, then some form of embarrassment and guilt, then to pain. Atsumu stares at the angel for a second too long. _Ah shit. My crush who I’ve left a bad impression on twice is in pain and I’m the only one to help him_.

Despite feeling clueless, he tries to push through with what Kita-san (and by extension, Iizuna-san) has taught him in case of a situation like this. He keeps his hand on the rock. His free hand reaches out, but stops abruptly. He remembers the other’s aversion to touch, so he hopes that his hovering hand will be enough indication for him to focus on Atsumu. 

He opens his mouth to try and make some semblance of a conversation. 

“So, we meet again…” On second thought, this is a horrible idea. Atsumu desperately wants to swim towards the beach. The sand would be happy to swallow him whole. This conversation will go nowhere. But as the angel’s mouth starts to open, any scrambling thought once again flies out of his brain.

“I guess so.” Curt, but with a twinge of suppressed pain. The tip of Atsumu’s mouth starts to curl up. They are getting somewhere, even though it isn’t in the best circumstance. 

“Do ya need any help?” He looks over at the diver in concern.

The diver turns to open his mouth when the distant sound of a boat nears the rocks. His head whips around towards the noise. A boat appears from the horizon causing the diver’s face to relax. “Oh… don’t worry. I have a boat-”

Said boat takes a sudden turn towards the left, leaving the two alone as it rides its merry way through the waves. Atsumu turns his head just in time to see the diver’s face souring. He mutters something along the lines of several curses and a name that seems vaguely familiar to him before facing Atsumu. Slowly, he holds Atsumu’s arm. “Well, I guess I need help after all.” 

Atsumu’s face lights up a fraction before putting his attention towards the situation at hand, face in intense focus. Judging from the cut on the diver’s hand, he can safely swim with him towards the beach no problem. Atsumu can use the surfboard as both a barrier and a swimming board. Nudging his surfboard towards the diver, he tries to get as close as he thinks the man is comfortable with. “Hold my surfboard. We can swim towards the beach together.”

The diver hesitates, seeming to weigh his options. He starts to grab onto the surfboard when he thinks he’s made up his mind. Atsumu maneuvers the surfboard right in front of the rock as another big wave crashes against them. That should have been enough to stop any further injuries from happening, but it didn’t stop a slight wince of pain from the diver. 

Atsumu furrows his brows when he starts to guide the surfboard away from the rocks. The diver’s face still seems to scrunch up in pain. It isn’t until he lifts his right leg up onto the surface of the water did Atsumu’s breath hitch in some kind of panic.

The tentacles of some type of jellyfish clings onto the diver’s ankle, leaving marks on his skin. The waves jostle the loose tentacles around - repeatedly stinging the diver’s skin - effectively solidifying the culprit of the diver’s pain.

Atsumu stops swimming, deep in thought. The rest of the way towards the hut will involve moving the divers leg - and in extension - the tentacles. This shouldn’t be a good idea if he wants to help the diver as fast as possible with minimal pain. He glances at the surfboard, then back at the diver’s ankle. An idea pops up.

He takes a deep breath, gaining the attention of the other. “Hey, can ya put yer right leg on the surfboard? Ya can put yer whole body on it. I can push us towards the shore.” He bites his lip in a fit or nerves. This might not have been a good idea. He should suggest another one-

But the sound of splashing and a significant addition of weight on the surfboard tells him that his suggestion worked yet again. With a slight smile of relief, he swims towards the back of the surfboard, pushing it through the waves. He doesn’t stop until they are close enough to the surf hut.

With a final push, Atsumu manages to beach his surfboard. He extends a hand towards the diver, which he gladly took while struggling to stand properly. They walk in silence towards the surf hut, surfboard forgotten and fins slowly collecting sand the farther they walk. 

Once in the safety of the hut, Atsumu gestures the diver to sit on one of the counter stools before heading towards the back where he knows a first aid kit is stored. He grabs the kit from a shelf, not forgetting to also grab a journal right next to it. He heads back to the diver, who is busy admiring the interior design of the hut. The diver’s fins and diving boots are stacked on top of each other on the stool beside him.

Atsumu places the first aid kit on the counter. He decides to treat the bleeding hand first, as it’s the injury he knows how to treat. He washes his hands, the sound of running water the only noise apart from the rolling waves outside. He turns off the tap and wipes his hands on a clean towel. The resounding silence should’ve been uncomfortable, but it seems cozy instead.

He pulls out alcohol wipes, iodine, cottonbuds, and gauze, placing them on a kitchen cloth he took from the pile under the sink. He holds out his hand towards the diver - a silent permission for him to treat the other’s hand.

The diver stares at him for a while, before slowly placing his hand on top of Atsumu’s own hands, palm up. Strong hands pull the bleeding hand closer, the touch soft and delicate, as if handling a natural pearl entrusted to him by a close friend. Deft fingers treat the hand in a fast and efficient manner, quickly finishing up with gauze to stop any further bleeding and any possible infections. 

Atsumu drops their hands. He looks up at the diver for some sort of approval, but mesmerizing dark green greets him in return. He takes a deep breath, staring back. 

Unfortunately, his intake of breath seems to snap the diver in whatever trance he was in before realisation sets in. Red creeps in from his ears to his cheeks, looking away in embarrassment. Atsumu can only watch in some sort of inner struggle to contain himself from opening his stupid mouth. He desperately needs a distraction.

He snaps his eyes towards the diver’s ankle that still has tentacles stuck around it. Atsumu grabs the journal, flipping through pages to find any information on jellyfish stings. It’s times like these when he’s eternally grateful that Kita-san photocopied his journal of treating sea creature injuries to be stored in the hut. 

Stopping at a specific page, he reads carefully, sometimes glancing between the injury and back to see what can be done. Luckily, it seems like an injury that can be treated without any medical equipment.

With the list of materials he needs, Atsumu rushes to the back, grabbing a large bucket, two cups, medical gloves, baking soda, and skin cream (which is definitely left by Suna). He also prepares an ice pack in the freezer for later.

He returns to the front, only stopping to drop the gloves, cups, baking soda, and skin cream, before going outside to collect sea water in the bucket. Walking back towards the counter area, he places the buckets near the ankle. Atsumu creates a saltwater-baking soda paste in one cup before using the other cup to pour saltwater over the injury.

After a few cups of water, the tentacles start to fall off, leaving behind red marks. After Atsumu is certain that there aren’t any other tentacles on the wound, he puts the gloves on. He grabs a handful of the paste, slowly spreading them on the wound. He stops briefly at the slight flinch from the diver, but resumes after the diver tells him to continue.

With the paste evenly spread on the injury, Atsumu tells the diver that they have to wait for it to dry. He gets up and starts peeling the gloves off, putting them on the counter. He moves to sit on the stool beside the diver and faces him.

“...What?” The diver eyes him wearily.

“Well, we can make small talk.” Atsumu smiles sheepishly at the diver, “After all, I didn’t make the best two impressions the first times we met. Sorry ‘bout that.”

Dark green eyes widen a fraction, before reverting back to the slight glare it’s so accustomed to. “Oh. I guess I’m sorry for that too. Apologies for getting ahead of myself. It wasn’t fair to assume you’re already dating someone.”

Straight to the point. Atsumu eyes him curiously. _Somehow, that’s still hot_.

“It’s fine. I can see where yer going with this, but Kita-san and I are friends. He already has a boyfriend anyways.” He smirks at the diver. “Don’t worry. I’m single _and_ available. So call me up if ya need a partner”

The diver scoffs at him, eyebrows pinching and eyes narrowing. “As if. You seem too much of an asshole anyways.”

“Wait- HEY!” cries of protest are ready to shoot out of Atsumu’s lips before a soft laugh registers in his ears. He slams his mouth shut, eyes wide as he gazes up at the diver. His face is scrunched up, and a hand is placed over his mouth to muffle the sound. ... _Cute_.

He catches himself staring, eyes quickly moving downward towards the diver’s ankle where the paste has dried up. He squats, scraping off the paste before grabbing the cream and lathering it over the injury. The laughs stop abruptly; a silence befalls the duo once again. 

After lathering the cream, Atsumu stands, smiling wide. “All done! Ya can take an ice pack back home if ya think ya need to. I can grab it for ya.”

The diver smiles back, albeit softly, “Sure. Thank you for treating me.”

“Oh, Yer welcome.” Atsumu rushes to the freezer where he keeps the ice pack, a blush overtaking his face. Grabbing the ice pack, he smushes them against his cheeks in hopes that his blush will fade faster.

After mentally preparing to face the diver after a few seconds, he walks back, where the diver has collected his gear on one arm. Atsumu gives the ice pack to the diver, who immediately places it on his ankle to relieve some pain. 

“...Thank you, once again. It was also a nice chat.” The diver stands up, taking the ice pack with him towards the entrance.

Atsumu waves at him, before a realization dawns on him. “Wait! I haven’t asked for yer name.”

If the question is unwanted, the diver doesn’t show it. Insteads, he turns to Atsumu, eyes boring into his. “And why would I tell you my name?”

“Because I wanna be yer friend!” Atsumu puffs up his cheeks in fake annoyance.

Dark green eyes stray away from him. After a few seconds of silence - in which Atsumu’s palms begin to sweat - the diver’s eyes land on him once again. “...Sakusa. Sakusa Kiyoomi.”

Atsumu smiles, finally having a name to place on this pretty face. “Mine’s Miya Atsumu, but call me Atsumu because I have a twin… Say, do ya wanna come back sometime to chat and hang out again? I think it’d be fun.”

“Okay. See you, Atsumu.” Sakusa waves at him, turning to walk out of the beach, diving boots leaving a trail of footprints behind him.

“See you too, Omi-kun!” Atsumu waves back, arms flailing. However, a sharp whip of Sakusa’s head startles him.

“...Please do not call me by a stupid nickname.” He rolls his eyes at him.

“Well, yer not gonna be able to stop me.” Atsumu sticks his tongue out playfully. “I’ll keep using it forever~” He smirks, walking back towards the hut.

As he blushes in delight, he doesn’t see the exasperated, yet fond sigh of a diver walking away; the glows of the setting sun shining him in a soft light as he turns left towards his home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't beta read so apologies in advance for any mistakes I've made in this chapter (the beta became too addicted to Genshin Impact HAHA-). 
> 
> Anyways, they finally found out each other's names! Here is to the actual start of their friendship. More fluff and slowburn to come I guess :)
> 
> \---
> 
> Fun Fact: The stunt Atsumu pulled off is called a backside air reverse.


End file.
